Health Through Balance

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

I tried to answer the most common questions. If you can't find your answer below, please contact me.

• What conditions do you treat?

  Many conditions can be helped by using a combination of natural techniques. At Health Through Balance we specialize in:

  • • Pain treatment and management: Muscle, Bone and Nerve Pain, TMJ, Back Pain, Sciatica, Musculoskeletal Problems, Sprains / Strains, Stiff Shoulders and Neck, Lumbago, Sciatica, Tennis Elbow, Carpal
  • • Stress-related disorders:Insomnia, Anxiety, Dizziness, Depression, Chronic Fatigue, Addictions, Indigestion, Constipation, Digestive Problems, High Blood Pressure, Headaches and Migraines.
  • • Anti-Aging: General Wellness, Seasonal Tonification & Detox Protocols, Stress Management & Chronic Disease Prevention.
  • • Facial Rejuvenation: Wrinkles, Brown Spots, Enlarged Pores, Fine Lines, Skin Moisture Levels, Facial Muscle Tonicity & Skin Elasticity.
  • In addition, here is a list of conditions (in alphabetical order) from an official report published by the World Health Organization (WHO) listing symptoms, conditions and diseases that have been shown in controlled trials to be treated effectively by Acupuncture.
    • Acute bacillary dysentery
    • Acute epigastralgia
    • Acute and chronic gastritis
    • Biliary colic
    • Breech birth presentation
    • Dental pain
    • Depression
    • Essential hypertension
    • Facial Pain
    • Hay fever
    • Headaches
    • Induction of labor
    • Knee pain
    • Leucopenia
    • Low back pain
    • Morning sickness
    • Nausea and vomiting
    • Neck pain
    • Peptic ulcer
    • Peri-arthritis of the shoulder
    • Post-operative pain
    • Primary dysmenorrheaon
    • Primary hypotension
    • Radiation/chemo reactions
    • Renal colic
    • Rheumatoid arthritis
    • Sciatica
    • Sprains
    • Tennis elbow
    • TMJ

• How does acupuncture work?

  Acupuncture points are specific areas on the body just beyond the surface of the skin. They have high concentrations of nerve endings, mast cells, lymphatic vessels, and capillaries. When an acupuncture needle is inserted into an acupuncture point, it stimulates the sensory receptor, which in turn stimulates the nerve, which then transmits impulses to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system.

  This complex system of interactions (often called a “feedback loop”) between the brain, hormones, and glands is responsible for regulating many bodily processes. Because acupuncture helps regulate the various body’s feedback loops, it allows the body to heal itself of whatever is wrong. This amazing trait is unique to nearly every other medical system and has sustained acupuncture as a complete system of medicine for over 5,000 years.

• How does acupuncture feel like?

  During your acupuncture treatment it is common to experience any number of sensations, such as tingling or a sense of heaviness in the body, and a deep feeling of relaxation. Many patients fall asleep during their acupuncture treatment. Your treatment may require that your session start with rocking, stretching of muscles, and a slowly deepening pressure that will help calm your nervous system and relax exterior muscle tension. As your body becomes relaxed, pressure will gradually be increased to relax specific areas and relieve areas of muscular tension. You should communicate immediately if you feel any discomfort so that another approach may be taken. Acupuncture is most effective when your body is not resisting.

• Which parts of my body will be touched/the needles be inserted?

  This all depends on your level of comfort and dependent of the treatment plan. It is possible that your treatment may include work on your back, abdomen, arms, legs, feet, hands, head, neck, and shoulders. If there are any parts of your body that you are not comfortable with being touched, please discuss this with your practitioner at the beginning of your treatment.

• Do you sterilize your needles?

  When people ask this, we think there may be an assumption that we are re-using needles. This is not the case at all in the United States. For the last 15-20 years, acupuncturists have used one-time use, sterilized, disposable needles as the industry standard. So there is NEVER re-using of needles.

• How often should you schedule appointments?

  The number of treatments needed depends on the type of condition being treated and the level of pain and discomfort. Other variables include the age of the patient, and if the condition is acute or chronic (for example acute conditions could take 2-3 sessions, while chronic conditions may require 8-12 sessions). After the first detailed intake and visit I will tell you the course of treatment I anticipate for you to see results. Also, if my clinical experience leads me to believe that the therapies I offer can’t help you, I will let you know right up front. I will not waste your money or time.

  Don't forget, it's usually taken years for our symptoms to manifest in the way they do now. We can't expect them to disappear in one or two treatments. Acupuncture is kind of like eating right or exercising – you don’t do it just once and expect a lasting change.

• Do I need to take herbal medicine or supplements?

  Herbal medicine and some supplements are a powerful adjunct to acupuncture treatments and can be used to increase the healing process between treatments. We will always have herbal formula and/or supplements recommendations for our patients that can be conveniently taken at home. Many patients enjoy taking herbs and find it to be a great investment in their healing, but it is not a required part of treatment. Food and lifestyle changes added to your acupuncture treatments can make a big difference even without herbs.

• Do you sell Herbal Prescriptions?

  Yes. If appropriate for your health needs, you will be prescribed an herbal formula or dietary supplement. All the formulas, single herbs and supplements we carry are of the highest quality and meet PIC/S, the most stringent international GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) standards.

• How does Auriculotherapy work?

  Modern auriculotherapy is founded on very strict scientific principles and is widely used throughout the US military and VA systems due to its efficacy. Stimulation of the auricular acupuncture microsystem facilitates a balancing of energy throughout the body and corrects pathological reflex centers in the brain thus leading to a homeostatic state whereby any form of stress or pain is lessened.

• How Does (LED) Light Therapy work?

  Specific wavelengths of light energy, when properly absorbed, up-regulates compromised cells. The light (photons) energy is absorbed by photo receptors in the mitochondria and used to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The ATP produced then stimulates various metabolic processes which can result in the repair and regeneration of cell and tissue components. In an article, Therapeutic Light - by Chukuku S. Enwemeka, PT, PhD, FACSM, he wrote other reported mechanisms of light-induced beneficial effects include modulation of prostaglandin levels, alteration of somatosensory evoked potential and nerve conduction velocity, and hyperemia of treated tissues. The resultant clinical benefits include pain relief in conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, tendonitis, ankle sprain, and temporomandibular joint dysfunction, shoulder and neck pain, arthritis, and post-herpetic neuralgia, as well as tissue repair in cases of diabetic ulcer, venous ulcer, mouth ulcer, fractures, tendon rupture, ligamentous, tear, torn cartilage, and nerve injury.